HOW I SHAPED MY SPACE: VIOLET BAKERY’S CLAIRE PTAK
The London baker on colour inspirations and her cafés outdoor furniture choices.
Claire Ptak is surely the only baker who could be both a two decade-long fixture of life in east London’s trend-leading Hackney and the baker of a royal wedding cake.
First appearing as a stall on nearby Broadway Market in 2005, Violet bakery now makes its home on a quiet leafy street selling treats inspired by Claire’s native California and the traditions of British baking. But delicious desserts are just part of the story. The styling of Violet, from its custom painted neon-chartreuse espresso machine, to their stop-you-in-the-street-silver, Christopher Kane collaboration ‘More Cake’ tote bags, show Claire as someone whose keen eye for design extends beyond piping frosting.
Last summer the bakery had a refresh with new furniture for their outdoor seating areas. And what did Claire choose? Sazy’s Frame and Bistro outdoor furniture sets. A woman of great taste in both cakes and chairs. We wandered across east London from Sazy’s studio on Old Street to Wilton Way, home of Violet, to eat sweet treats and learn how Claire shaped her space.
ON THE COLOURS THAT INSPIRE HER
The colour story of Violet is rooted in a painting—a Richard Diebenkorn, to be precise. He was a California painter from the ‘60s, known for his expansive, slightly abstract landscapes, all swathed in a signature palette of washed-out blues, warm corals, and earthy ochres.
“I was obsessed with him in high school,” Claire says. “I loved how his colours always felt sun-faded, like they’d been warmed by the California light. And something about the texture reminded me of frosting—like the way I decorate cakes.”
That was the vision. To bring a little piece of California to East London. When Claire first found the space, the exterior was black and purple, she softened it and washed it down to something more muted. “It was like mixing raspberry purée into buttercream,” she explains. “It starts off bright red, then it sort of fades it into a soft muted colour.” The bakery, as it turned out, was not just about cakes, it was always a canvas for expression.
ON CREATING A SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY
Violet isn’t just a bakery. It’s a meeting place, a creative hub, a tucked-away pocket of East London where stories unfold over coffee and cake. “We've had novels written here, we've had two screenplays written here. And that for me is really gratifying,” Claire says. “That’s as satisfying as selling the cakes.”
Claire always imagined Violet as a place where people could belong—where locals, writers, and friends could gather, a space that people wanted to be in, and that’s exactly what happened.
ON THE OUTDOOR SPACE
The outdoor space is a hidden gem—a little oasis in the middle East London. A sprawling tree from the neighbour’s yard leans over the fence, its canopy spilling dappled light onto the café’s tables. “It’s magical,” Claire says. “Especially at this time of year, when it’s all lush and green.”
Even in winter, when the branches are bare and the city feels a little grey, there’s beauty to be found. The cherry blossom trees in the front bloom in spring, scattering pink petals into the air. People sit under the awnings, sipping coffee as the seasons shift around them. Someone planted fennel in the nature strip on the street. Someone else, tomatoes. “There are so many nice things here, when you’re sitting outside the bakery, you’re happy and you’re reminded of nature,” she says.
ON CHOOSING RED FOR THE FURNITURE
For a long time, everything at Violet was white. White tables, white chairs—minimal and effortless where the cakes could take centre stage. “It was beautiful in photos,” Claire admits. “a serene canvas”.
But then Claire saw the Sazy red outdoor furniture. It’s not just any red but a deep berry toned red that felt rich and unexpected “There’s a little red in the Diebenkorn painting,” she muses. “And red is like cherry and I love cherry.” So she went for it.
For a brief moment, panic set in. “I thought I’d made a huge mistake,” Claire confesses. “I looked at the red next to our green-painted Violet sign and thought—oh no, is this too Christmassy?” But then, 24 hours later, she knew.
“The Sazy red is the best colour. It just works,” she says, triumphant. Against the brick, the concrete, the ivy—it pops in all the right ways and it is beautiful all year round; “my instincts were right, I love it!”
If that’s whet your appetite for outdoor furniture, take a look at Sazy’s outdoor collection.
